Will Key read the GCSB report?

Key has said we all have to wait and see what is in the Neazor Report on the GCSB spies’ illegal spying on Kim Dotcom.* He won’t even answer basic questions like: ‘what section of the law did the GCSB breach?’ Funny that Key’s so keen for us to wait to read this report. But will he read it? Or will it be like the Banks Police Report, which he won’t read? And when will anyone get to read Banks’ statement?

But, actually, we don’t need to wait for the report because the full story is out now. A police unit called OFCANZ approached GCSB for help in getting intel before the raid on Dotcom. The GCSB asked if Dotcom (and his colleagues) was a foreign national – OFCANZ said he was. In fact, the correct question was ‘is he a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident?’ – which he was, and which made the GCSB spying on him illegal.

Both OFCANZ and the GSCB are incompetent or purposely neglectful of the law.

Then, in August while Key was busy watching children play baseball in Maine, Bill English signed a ministerial certificate for GSCB that suppressed their involvement in the Dotcom raid from being mentioned in court. Incredibly, neither the GCSB or English realised at this point that the GCSB had been spying on a New Zealand permanent resident. English seems to have just signed whatever was stuck under his nose.

It all came out only later thanks to Dotcom’s lawyers.

And, speaking of Dotcom’s lawyers, this incompetent government that couldn’t be bothered properly monitoring its spies (Key meets with the GCSB more than once per month but never seems to have said ‘were you involved in the Dotcom raid?’ or ‘wait, you spied on Dotcom, a permanent resident?’) has put us in the gun for hundreds of millions of dollars. Megaupload was valued at a billion dollars. The raid and seizure of his property, which has been illegal at every level, destroyed that value. Who is he going to turn to for damages?

*incredibly, Key said in the House yesterday that the GCSB’s actions weren’t necessarily illegal, despite the fact his press release declared them illegal the day before. Cullen was right, the guy’s slippery as an eel. Either that or he’s stoned off his fucken rocker. By his own admission, there’s a lot of green on Planet Key.

I got the impression that Key ‘leaked’ the crisis early before the report comes out so he
could mis-align the debate, distort it. As opposition were hit with Key’s answer that he
doesn’t know yet. After the report I suspect Key will return to the highly suspect
non-reading of document argument (aka Banks was within the law despite not being
except for a time out clause).

So to answer your question, its because Key is a spin shitster par excellence.

Yep, I’m picking Key already knows what the report will say, and he’s positioning himself correspondingly. The indications are that they are going to call it a whoopsie-daisy communications break down between OFCANZ and GCSB when they tried to verify whether Dotcom was an NZ resident. Who would have thought it would have been so hard when he had by then been a resident for more than 12 months? It’s just not credible, but Key will waive the report around saying that’s the end of the matter, move on.

If this is the case then it’s no wonder Key’s body language and Tranzrail eyes look so shifty when he’s talking about this – he knows the story is weak.

And because he’s already said he never heard of Dotcom until the night before the raid, he would also have us believe that Bill English didn’t think it worth mentioning to the PM, who oversees the GCSB, that the FBI and the GCSB were coordinating an over the top military style take-down on NZ soil.

Oh and the PM doesn’t need to read a police report that says his minister broke the law and lied to the public and (supposedly) him about it.

Re – the opposition questions … Today was a case in point. Peters had Key on toast, and said to the Speaker “I only have a limited number of questions”. That was the cue for Labour (who have many more available, as a larger party) to take up the attack. They didn’t.

The nub of the problem is – the effective opposition parties have too few questions, the ineffective opposition party has too many.

Re- the polls … Mike is right, most people aren’t paying much attention. But they will pay attention to visible, prominent stories and people … such as Kim Dotcom. Labour’s problem is that their leader has only done one thing (the schools speech) in the past nine months for people to notice.

We can’t blame people with busy lives if the politicians don’t know how to reach them – or don’t even try very hard, because (in Labour’s case) they think they will win the next election by default.

“We can’t blame people with busy lives if the politicians don’t know how to reach them – or don’t even try very hard, because (in Labour’s case) they think they will win the next election by default.”

I like what you say re “can’t blame people” it’s so true, and I expect the opposition to ensure that the message is getting through and fully consider that their duty.

I sincerely hope Labour aren’t simply assuming they will get in next time. I was of the opinion initially, that this government would be thrown out next time around, yet when the spin and shonkey tactics aren’t absolutely outlined, emphasized and driven home…it appears that the effectiveness of these tactics are being underestimated… & yep…it leaves me questioning whether a Left-wing Government is the slam dunker it seemed it would be after the election night results.

We actually don’t know if it was OFCANZ which asked the GCSB to bug Dotcom because we only have the word of those protecting John Key. The last minute scampering into the High Court to lodge documents is just a bit too cute.The more likely scenario is that the US government asked its National Ltd­™ mate John Key for a favour in the lead up to the FBI turning the New Zealand police force into its Pacific bumboy. John Key would’ve been reduced to an incoherent wimpering ball of dribbling sychophancy at the prospect of a personal “attaboy” from Obama. There’s that Security Council seat to think of too, eh John?

And then there’s the Hollywood connection. John Key was more than happy to shaft New Zealand workers and sell legislation to Warner Bros so, morally speaking, what’s to stop him usng the GCSB to gather information against someone who can be used as an international example of what happens to people who threaten the industry’s business model via file sharing?

With “national interest” being bandied about along with Prime Ministerial “warnings” to journalists, the narrative and the MSM remain suspect. This whole thing, and this whole National Ltd™ government, is so skew whiff I’m betting there’s a lot more to it.

I can recall John Campbell asking Key a question a while ago about when was the first time that he heard of Kim Dotcom. Key answered as he has subsequently “the day before the raid”.

I thought at the time that someone had some information to show that this was not true. But it appears that Key may actually be illiterate. There is no other reason for him to answer the way that he has.

This is spiraling out of control for National. The longer Key continues to maintain ignorance the more ineffectual and incompetent he appears to be.

The only way out is for him to confirm that he did know what was going on. And then he is shown to be, how shall I put this, disingenuous.

He was absolutely adamant about it. iPredict has a contract on evidence contradicting key to be published. Currently trading about 25c. I still don’t think it will come out from this latest news, but there were “mysterious officials” that meet with police in December and it’s possible key could be one of them.

Key is adamant, probably because he has confidence in his “don’t ask, don’t tell” system.

I seriously doubt that there is a paper trail showing that Key was told about Kim Dotcom. There might be a paper trail showing that Staffer A told Staffer B not to tell the PM. If that comes out, then Key can just sack the staffer (for doing what Key wanted).

In response, Wormald said at a meeting he attended on 14 Dec 2011 to plan Dotcom raid there were representatives of Crown Law, representatives of OFCANZ, plus another group of people now known to be GCSB. 2 days after that meeting GCSB began intercepting Dotcom’s communications. Wormald incorrectly answered that no one other than police were conducting surveillance on Dotcom.

Beehive press conference 24 Sept 2012: video clip of Key saying he’s requested an inquiry into the circumstances of unlawful interception of communications of certain individuals by the GCSB

Clips of the raid on 20 January 2012 for FBI, now declared illegal by courts.

Bill English document: Ministerial Certificate August 2012

Addressed to Grant Wormald, Commissioner of Police, and Director of the GCSB.
English went to the GCSB for advice on their role in the Dotcom case and its implications. Typed document says:

I [Deputy PM] have sought advice on the implications of this request from the director of GCSB.

GCSB advised him as in the typed document:

[Disclosing] The information request would likely prejudice the security of New Zealand.

Bill English then objected to any information being disclosed as in the typed document:

I therefore object to the disclosure of any information.
I direct that neither you nor any other person subject to this direction shall provide any information or answer any question in this proceeding.

Signed by Bill English 16 August 2012.

END OF VIDEO SUMMARY

I recall that Key had left for his son’s baseball game on 9th August 2012.

So, why did English go to the GCSB in August to ask about their role? Was it because it had come to light in the Dotcom court case?

And is it coincidental that English was requesting this information at around the same time Key had suddenly decided to leave the country for an inadequate reason?

Another possibility is that Dotcom was under US-requested GCSB surveillance before he became a New Zealand permanent resident and so, mistakenly, its was presumed that the original authorisation was still in play.

In that above comment I was just trying to make sense of Campbell Live’s item on this last night, and asking some questions about where there are gaps. He presented us with a certain amount of facts, but what he was trying to tell us is not totally clear. I don’t know the answers but there are things that don’t seem to qite make sens.

I tend to go more for c*ck-up theory than conspiracy. And I would say this CL item points to c*ck-ups as much as conspiracy – or at least, a mixture of that, and Key’s sloppiness as a manager of government – and then attempts to paper over the cracks.

They could also have done what Russel Norman has suggested and looked him up via Google.
Russel appears to think that anything Google tells you is correct.
Out of curiosity I looked up Russel and discovered he is a member of the Australian Communist party. Google tells me so it must be correct.
Why has he not told the New Zealand public this? Do we not deserve to know? What else is he hiding?
Actually I am beginning to think that Russel, and the Greens generally, appear to be relying on Google for their policies. You can get stupid statements on almost anything from there.

It wasn’t meant to be an attack on Norman when I started it.
I should never have added the bit about Green policies.
It was however intended to point out that I thought that his idea that you can rely on the internet for any ACCURATE information was silly. He was proposing that Googling Dotcom would tell you reliably that he had resident status. I don’t believe that to be the case at all. I just put in the material that claims that Norman is a Communist party member to show what sort of thing you can expect to get back when using the internet, and that you can’t rely on it to be accurate.

Get it right “alwyn” rather than repeating Whale fat slander and taking an unnecessary swipe at Russell Norman who was just pointing out the bleedingly obvious.

Norman has an interesting past and was involved with the then trotskyite Socialist Workers Party that became the DSP and issued newspaper ‘Green Left weekly’, the first organisational unity in oz between green and marxist forces, and a far different beast from the “Australian Communist party” you talk of which was actually the CPA “Communist Party of Australia” in two versions, the SPA-Socialist Party of Australia taking over inbetween.

Anyway nevermind your sidetrack ShonKey remains deep in it with more to play out yet.

The average Nat MP probably has very different tastes in DVDs and CDs from Russel Norman or the tracks Dot.Com was offering from Megaupload, ie Key or English probably found Dot Com distasteful and of minimal interest until long after the FBI inspired raid.
Most of the boffins at Wahopai or Tangimoana or whereever the communications spies hang out today probably found little of interest about dot com in the Manawatu Standard or Blenheim rag in the extraordinary event they ever read the news or entertainment section.
I imagine to the average NZ detective it remains inconcievable that Dot Com could have been given kiwi residency. Hardly an open minded attitude but reality.

Damn.
I was quoting what you could find on the Internet to try and illustrate that I thought Russel was being stupid in saying the the GCSB could have found out reliable information on KDs residency status by a Google query.
It appears that what I found, and what I thought was solely fairy stories, has some truth in it.

Because the police told them it was all ok and above board. And they should know.

Trust tends to be a reasonable and even admirable quality in human relations, including in govt. It’s going to be a strange and paranoid and arse covering world if we have to go and double check everything our colleagues tell us.

Although when you’re the GCSB coordinating a military style raid with the FBI on NZ soil, double-checking your facts is probably the way to go I’d say.

In answer to freedom’s question, (and this is purely speculation), perhaps because the GCSB knew they would get an answer that they didn’t want. Whereas they could rely on OFCANZ to er, make a ‘mistake’.

Do all the requests for GCSB surveillance come from the police? I bet not. So GCSB should have their own protocols for ensuring they aren’t breaking the law and tapping citizens. They should have used those protocols each and every time, no exceptions, as part of the standard operating checklist.

It’s like firearm safety – the police told the GCSB that the weapon was safe, but the GCSB fucked up because they should have checked clear and kept it pointed in a safe direction. Now the weapon’s accidentally fired and you reckon it’s the cops’ fault, not the fault of the people actually holding the weapon.

In any democracy, the people who are the first line of defense against abuses of power are the people actually in a position to abuse their power. And our watchdogs have been showing how interested they are in protecting our freedom. Fuck all.

What If……..
What If about 2+ years ago Mr John Key was given a heads up by shadowy people in USA who may have had connections with the Entertainment Industry, that all Hell would be visited on the Dotcom Empire?

If so, Key had a choice between being on the ball, or set in place an extensive avoidance of all matters relating so that he could claim Ignorance. The latter is a High Risk strategy because should any info leak, or if the population or MSM began to doubt that a Prime Minister was totally unaware of anything relating to Kim Dotcom then the PM’s Credibility would be at least damaged.

Warner Brothers? The Electorate Office for John Key? Bill English? The Courts?
What if……

Most people really don’t get how much ShonKey represents the US corporates in New Zealand, rather than this country’s (ie the NZ peoples) interests over there. The Hobbit Enabling Act was a reasonable tip off though. Brown nosing the yanks permeates everything the Nats do. From a skewed Foreign Account Deficit due to repatriation of profits offshore through defence and foreign policy.

JK : Hey bill, remember that favour you owe me for douple dippin.
BE: (nervous tone) yes John.
JK: someone will bring you something for you to sign and we’re square.
BE: It’s not my resignation is it John ?
JK: (laughter) come on bill, you know I value your contribution and I’ve no intention of sacking you, as it stands, all factors being weighed up, today as I call on this encrypted blackberry from ma mansion.
BE: So that’s an unconditional no, John ?
JK: Just sign it bill, everything will work out fine (under breath)…for me that is.

Yes but how much are the GCSB spies, Key’s spies or NZ intelligence officers. Really they are part of an international western chain of communications intercept bases- and the key positions in reality if not officially at Wahopai are probably often US or Australian intelligence officers. Read Nicky Hagars- book on Echelon.
In reality New Zealand lacks the defence and foreign affairs bureaucracy to really regulate defence forces that have always had an element of top class equipment and officers and the same with intelligence. Even our more capable lawyers and journalists have abilities and skill beyond the ability of this societies instituions and authorities to really supervise and control as far as desirable.

A real leader would set aside partisan politicking and expose the contempt for law aotearoan law enforcement agencies display every day.
A politician who revealed he/she had the courage to fight this would immediately earn the support of a swathe of NZ voters. Far more than could ever be generated by a dozen exposes of the ‘other mobs’ true character’.

I won’t hold my breath on this even tho it is the real instigator of the Dotcom circus. Most kiwis are aware of the bi-partisan agreement between labour and national to never question the integrity of NZ police, & have convinced themselves the sole malignancy created as being that the secretary of the policeman’s federation is the last unionist allowed tv time, rather than the awful reality, that this political & moral cowardice is the root cause of daily injustices committed against a multitude of kiwis.

I went to Key in his first term with a serious complaint against the police (that police had misinformed three ministers of police and a few MPs, recent and historical files could not be located) and Key referred me to Powers then minister of justice as I wanted a barrister appointed to look at many cycles of police complaints. Power told me to go to the IPCA. This is not an option as I consider the IPCA to not be independent. It is unfortunate because I have to have an investigation to satisfy an ACC psychiatrist for a sensitive claim.

I have just looked at As I see it with Commissioner Peter Marshall. A question of responsibility September 20, 2012.

I think Marshall is trying to reassure the public that there will not be another Urewera/Dotcom fiasco and very much on his mind probably would have been the ofcanz blunder which Marshall would have known was about to become public.

…you can’t have considered how much financial advantage (or otherwise) Junkie might enjoy by not reading it prior to you suggesting the possibility of such a dastardly activity ….in lil ol innocent and pure NZ …i mean…as if…..

Watching question time today I came to the conclusion that it is a pointless exercise asking the little trader ANYTHING as he immediately resorts to mindless crap of kindergarten level(sorry kiddies, I have some wonderful in depth conversations with my nearly five year old grandson) that lockjaw invariably lets him off with. Although once he did admonish the trader, with a wry little smile (tsk tsk) for not answering a question but going off in a rant, and reminded him that he was there to actually answer said question properly etc etc. Like that worked.There is something slightly imbecilic about key and I have always thought so.”If I keep saying the same thing that will make it true, in my view” Also he seems to have read the police report re his man date at the tea party, good ole “I have no idea what my name is” banksy of the last voyage of the cabbage boat.\, as he referred to it when answering a question by Grant R.While I still contend he may possibly be illiterate, he is most certainly intellectually and emotionally illiterate. Apropos of nothing I wonder quite often if the seats in the front row have been reinforced and if so who bore the cost?

That’s all true enough Chris, but given the imbecilic level at which he operates, it really isn’t that hard to skewer him with smart, sharp questions.

There are many options, apart from banging head on brick wall. When (for example) do we hear Labour doing the old one-two-three … soft, soft, hard? When do they ever come out of left field? When do they ever ask a question where you immediately wonder “Where are they going with this?”. When do they ever display some wit, or give a soundbite that resonates, or tempt Key into a mistake? Why did “Planet Key” catch on? Because Turei threw him the bait and Key took it. When do Labour ever lure him in like that? Almost never.

They not only do the same thing every time, they don’t even TRY to do it differently. If we can predict their next question, so can Key. And now he’s off the hook for another month – Parliament goes into recess tomorrow.

There is always the hope that comments from Key will lead to follow up questions where he is cornered by his contradictions. Maybe on another day. Today Key was asked to explain where he read in the Police Report that Banks had not broken the Law. He had to admit that it was not in the Report but was his own comment. Maybe “Misleading the House”?

I agree. I believe what you write here is worthy of a letter to Labour.

Do you think that perhaps there is a belief that “they are better than that” where “that” = belabouring a point in order to drive it home?

I see improvement this year from last year; yet still there is something weak about their attacks. I mean, doesn’t someone get paid rather a lot of money to convey just such advice you relay here to them?

They could read The Standard and get better advice for free by the looks of things….

And here’s the TV news round-up … TV One and Three featuring Winston Peters, Russel Norman and Grant Robertson. The usual absentee – even though he asked a series of questions to the PM today. No good lines = no coverage.

Why don’t Minsta or the Krean resign or stand down these days – ditto senior public ‘servants’.
IF EVER there was a case for at least some suspensions – this is it!
I’m wondering why the combined opposition are not petitioning the Gov Gen to have Blinglish’s warrant suspended or cancelled. And of course if that fails – a letter to Liz!
Oz Proim Minsta’s have been brought down for less than this!

“Any other GSCB activity in the Megaupload case cannot be made public – because of a ministerial certificate signed by acting prime minister Bill English last month.” Regarding ministerial certificates; how often does this occur and more importantly in respect to the GSCB/ SIS etc how often is such a ministerial certificate signed. As to me if such an event from the GSCB is rare 1-5 times a year and that Bill is not often acting PM (And I imagine has never signed one before (If he has what did he do previously in keeping Key informed)) then such a rare event there would be protocols or precedents as to keeping the real PM informed ?
Look to the past and compare to this case. Even with secrecy of this ministry I am sure some in Labour are aware of how things operate or if not then a quick call to someone who would, would be in order ?

Let’s take OFCANZ and the GSCB at their word for the moment and accept that the GSCB asked the wrong question and that OFCANZ didn’t bother to help them out.

The GSBC must have known that it had acted illegally in spying on Kim Dotcom very soon after the raid when Kim Dotcom’s residency status became widely discussed common knowledge. At that stage the director should have informed the Prime Minister. After all, shit happens.

But when the Prime Minster tells us that he didn’t know about this until a few days ago, he’s also saying that the director of the GSCB withheld knowledge of its serious illegal activity from our elected representative, the PM.

Agreed, on the confusing timeline in the MSM. Something I’ve been trying to make sense of. The clip of Dotcom’s lawyer Davison (as on Campbell Live) clearly says 14 December 2011 for the meeting, which we now know included GCSB, and preceded the beginning of surveillance on DC by a couple of days.

Yet other reports seem to say that the surveillance started in late 2010-beginning of 2011. Even Paul Buchanan used that late 2010 date in his interview on RNZ a couple of days ago:

The GCSB was told by the police they were foreign nationals, although Dotcom threw a huge party in Auckland in November 2010 to celebrate gaining residency.

The spying started on December 16 and ended on January 20, just before Dotcom, van der Kolk and two other associates were arrested for alleged internet piracy.

But as far as I am aware, DC et al were arrested in January 2012.

Also, the following became clear in Question Time today:

Bill English was asked by GCSB about whether to disclose information, after their involvement was sprung by Davison in the court proceedings. On 16 August 2012, Blingish’s response was to sign the document saying they shouldn’t disclose information on the surveillance.

. . . the director of the GSBC unilaterally making decisions about what our elected representative needs or wants to know about a fundamental transgression of the law made while adventuring with a foreign power and an agency of the NZ Police which has shown itself to have a slippery grasp of the most basic principles of good governance?

This is institutional corruption. It calls for a Commission of Inquiry.

The GSBC didn’t know? Ha chances are that they did, and very early on. Because the GCSB would have well established systems independent of the police set up to determine an individual’s residency status: it’s a key parameter of their mandate. The GCSB obviously won’t want to be running off to the police every time they are thinking of surveilling a suspected foreign spy living in NZ. They have their own systems.

Then the GCSB went ahead and got a cover ass letter from some poor misinformed sap in NZ Police. Some high level political shennanigans in that one. Smart politics from the GCSB, dumb on the police.

An awful lot of things seem to have gone wrong here. The police made a booboo, (even though Dotcom had been an NZ resident for more than 12 months), the GCSB didn’t double-check Dotcom’s residency status, the GCSB didn’t mention Dotcom to Key in the 15 briefings they’ve given him this year, English didn’t mention Dotcom to Key because he thought the GCSB already did, the GCSB took until September to realize that Dotcom was a resident and that they had thus broken the law.

Not one of these are credible. This stinks bad and it’s written all over Key’s face.

Will Key read it?
A more appropriate question might be, Can he read it?

At about 5:30 this evening he came into the House to make a correction to an answer he gave during Question Time. The written statement was all of four sentences, and he minced them all. Perhaps there is someone out there who could do a “Running Record” on the chap to measure his reading behaviours and assess his real reading age.
As for comprehension of this subject matter, he quoted a “Breakfast Television” interviewee for legal clarification – what a shallow man – doesn’t he have legal advisers around him.

Key possibly has a head for figures, but as a literary powerhouse – he ain’t one… and learns about authors over a beer at a barby …

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8 December 2016 Teachers in public schools are not surprised to hear that the success rates being touted by charter schools are not true at all.PPTA president Angela Roberts says, “Charter schools are a bad idea, for a multitude of ...

The new community water fluoridation legislation is now on the way in the New Zealand parliament. The Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Bill was introduced on Tuesday and the parliamentary health committee has invited submissions. It’s worth watching the videos of ...

Well, friends, today was PISA day. The day when all media outlets around the world breathlessly pronounce their education system is either “plummeting” down the tables, or, through some miraculous miracle, soaring to new educational heights. Three years ago I ...

Auckland’s city centre is currently undergoing change on scale possibly never seen before and nowhere more so than around Albert St with the construction of the City Rail Link underway. Streets have been narrowed or in some places cut off completely. ...

At a guess, many of you reading this post are already making good personal choices to help mitigate climate change. Some of you would perhaps like to do more. So, here are some suggestions where you can get actively involved ...

Apparently, McDonald’s hamburgers are the result of the best technology that food and taste engineers can provide. All ingredients and processing events are managed to within an inch – maybe less – of their lives. The consumable item is the culmination ...

So…. we’re 72 hours into this journey into deep space after dropping the rocket that took us out of earth orbit (adieu, John Key) and we’re taking stock of who’s on the flight deck, and whether any warps in the ...

Uh oh! Has John Key given nearly enough thought to hiding his browsing habits from his successors? Whoops! John Key might be regretting this one. If his resignation as leader of New Zealand seemed to be going too smoothly, something’s ...

Journalists suspect Jonathan Coleman has been hanging around at the opposite end of the hallway just to waste their time. New Zealanders around the country are savouring the chance this week to partake in one of the great joys of ...

by Michael Roberts Mark Carney is the governor of the Bank of England. Formerly the head of the central Bank of Canada, some years ago he was headhunted to take over at the BoE on a huge salary and expenses. ...

The Great Northern Forest has many names. Scientists see The Great Northern Forest as the boreal forest ecosystem - the global coniferous forest blanketing the northern hemisphere. The Russians traditionally call it “Taiga”. If you could look at the planet ...

The diversity of nature is essential to ensure our planet remains habitable. That is why we need to stand up to all those who endanger the global web of life – those who plunder the Commons for private gain.Back in ...

The following is extracted from a longer article about political polarisation globally, written by Ben Hillier, which appears in Red Flag, the paper of Australia’s largest Marxist current (Socialist Alternative), here. It is beyond reasonable doubt, for anyone who cares to ...

Today is unexpectedly a Member's Day, presumably because next week the House wil be in urgency for the end-of-year wash-up, or MP's will all be at some boozy party or something. First up is David Bennett's Private International Law (Choice ...

Thank you, water protectors.Yesterday, the Obama administration and the Army Corps of Engineers denied Dakota Access Pipeline builder Energy Transfer Partners the final permit it needs to complete the pipeline. This is a monumental victory for Indigenous rights and a ...

Back in June I wrote a post about the Ombudsman's pretty damning report on the State Services Commission (SSC) Inquiry into leaked MFAT documents, and in particular the way that this Inquiry treated a MFAT employee, Mr Derek Leask.read more ...

While AT have been proposing some rubbish lately with Mt Albert and some of their cycleway projects, there has been some good news too on Quay St. Firstly, on Sunday an important milestone was reached with the cycleway counter tipping over ...

Back in 2012, after a campaign of leaks about its proposals to restructure MFAT, National announced an inquiry. Naturally, they appointed their go-to girl Paula Rebstock to investigate. And when she reported, it turned out to be a total hatchet ...

We check their records on abortion, marriage equality, weed, prostitution and euthanasia. Deputy Prime Minister Bill English, Police Minister Judith Collins and Health Minister Jonathan Coleman have all put their names in the hat to become our next PM. We ...

Its the dead of winter in the Arctic. And the ice cap is still melting:Both the Arctic and Antarctic experienced record lows in sea ice extent in November, with scientists astonished to see Arctic ice actually retreating at a time ...

My friend's mum died this week. Since he told me, I've had the strongest memory of walking into her house a few years back and being hit with the smell of soup on the stove top. That smell that only ...

Native Son: One of the reasons Wood was able to generate such spectacular support from Mt Roskill voters is because he is one of them. He and his young family have lived in the electorate for 13 years. During that ...

Dear Russell, New Zealand's Archive of Film, Television and Sound, Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision is currently considering a proposal to close its offices in Auckland and Christchurch and centralise all its activity in the Wellington region. This includes moving ...

I had coffee with Rob Hosking last Friday, and noted down one of his comments in my diary then forgot about it until I went to check something else today: Coffee w/ Rob Hosking. Asked him about mood at Parliament. ...

The Motu Institute recently published new research into the urban productivity premium in New Zealand, or the degree to which firms and workers in big cities tend to produce more and earn higher wages. This is an essential issue for ...

Secrecy shrouds this new Major Motion Picture Comedy, based in New Zealand, but with World Wide Exposure! “Gigantic Clown” John Key The original star of this Comedy was famous Comedian/Clown, John Key. But he has ...

In October 2014 New Zealand was preparing for its two-year term on the UN Security Council. Meanwhile, Prime Minister John Key was making an unconvincing case for sending soldiers to Iraq in a training capacity to assist with the fight ...

Watch out John Key: these two did even better, staying wealthy their whole lives! John Key doesn’t just leave behind the legacy of New Zealand’s most popular Prime Minister; he also leaves the legacy of a boy who grew up ...

In the depths of Upper Hutt, no-one can hear the screams. Lurking in a lock-up in deepest Upper Hutt is The All Seeing Hand, a turntable/throat-singing/double-kick-drumming trio whose sound reflects the industrial wasteland around them. "Quarry Metals" reads ...

The SIS and GCSB's annual reports were released today. The bad news: the trend of the past few years of a relentless expansion of spying has continued. The GCSB was granted 15 new intelligence warrants allowing individualised spying in 2016, ...

Did you want to know something about how John Key acted as Prime Minister? Which bloggers he briefed, or which journalists he had on speed dial, for example? Sorry, you're now shit out of luck. Key is subject to the ...

Being a media trainer is a bit like being a singing teacher.You have to have a very good ear. It’s not merely about being able to correct glaring examples of poor pronunciation, diction or tone. John Key’s tendency to ...

Today's reminder that Fiji is not a democracy: A Canadian woman living in Fiji appeared before a Parliamentary Select Committee and criticised government policy. So the government deported her:A Canadian woman living in Fiji has been forcibly deported just hours ...

The lesson from the demise of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) should have been that it is time to re-think this type of so-called trade agreement. But despite warnings from internationally-recognised experts, there are more secretive “trade” negotiations happening this ...

This year I have been focused on getting a better deal for kids and families with learning needs such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, and autism spectrum. We had a Select Committee inquiry into the issues faced, but the Government was too ...

The latest Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) provides further evidence that the economy that the National Government and Bill English have is sitting on shifting sands and leaves many people behind, Labour’s Finance spokesperson Grant Robertson says today. ...

Earlier this week I posed some questions to Finance Minister Bill English about his support for the government’s plan to spend a billion dollars on a new prison. I was pretty disappointed in his answers, all of which flew in the face of his own ...

The Government is dragging its feet while working New Zealanders are still missing up to $2.3 billion collectively owed to them through underpaid holiday pay entitlements, Labour’s Economic Development spokesperson David Clark says. “The cover was blown on this issue ...

I took the opportunity to question the Reserve Bank Governor, Graeme Wheeler, about New Zealand’s lack of deposit protection in front of the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee in Parliament yesterday. Why does the Reserve Bank continue to oppose protecting ...

“There has been a high degree of media interest in New Zealand about a possible post with the United Nations. “My name has been proposed to the United Nations Secretary General to be his Special Representative in South Sudan. ...

Mt Albert MP David Shearer is being proposed for a demanding and exciting role heading the United Nations peacekeeping force in South Sudan, says Labour Leader Andrew Little. “David has kept me fully informed about this opportunity and we are ...

The Minister of Education needs to show some leadership and secure the future of two not-for-profit early childhood education centres that could be faced with closure as the land they sit on is up for sale, Grant Robertson Labour MP ...

NCEA results for charter schools have been massively overstated with documents revealing many students leaving school without basic NCEA level two qualifications despite this being a main educational target for the Government, says Labour Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins. “Documents obtained ...

The Minister of Social Development should immediately implement safer work practices to ensure tragedies such as the Ashburton killings don’t happen again, says Labour’s Social Development spokesperson Carmel Sepuloni. ...

Comments made by the Māori Party leadership in the wake of John Key’s surprise resignation make one thing clear: a vote for them is a vote for a fourth term National Government, and the increasing inequality and poverty for Māori ...

The public rightly puts much of the blame for the housing bubble at the feet of foreign speculators, and the next Prime Minister must listen to their concerns, says Labour’s Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford. ...

The continuing fall in Kiwi kids’ performance in the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study shows the damage being inflicted by National’s cuts to education and one-size-fits-all approach, says Labour’s Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins. “For years, National has ...

Child protection has taken a massive step backwards today with the Government passing a Bill that will give significant powers to unspecified ‘professionals’ or contract holders, says Labour’s Acting Children’s spokesperson Carmel Sepuloni. ...

Last week the Productivity Commission put out a report about how to grow “weak labour productivity”. These views are being criticised as being straight out of the 1980s. What is a real problem is that we have a problem of ...

The Green Party has campaigned for several years for mandatory palm oil labeling to give consumers choice. Most consumers do not want to support a palm oil industry that is destroying tropical rainforests and contributing to dangerous climate change emissions. ...

Cases of syphilis are increasing in Auckland. You read that right, syphilis! RNZ reported today that rates of syphilis have increased by 71 percent (between 2013-2015). We have known about the increase in syphilis figures for a while, but nothing ...

The charade of this Government’s sound economic management is unraveling. Misleading GDP figures, pumped up by property speculation and high immigration, have given the impression that all is well, masking our continued productivity decline compared to OECD countries. In fact, ...

Labour Party Leader Andrew Little has acknowledged John Key’s contribution to Government. “John Key has served New Zealand generously and with dedication. Although we may have had our policy differences over the years, I respect the Prime Minister’s decision to ...

The victory of Labour’s newest MP, Michael Wood, in Mt Roskill is the result of a well-organised campaign run with honesty and integrity, says Labour Leader Andrew Little. “I congratulate Michael Wood on his great victory. He will be a ...

Apartment builder Ockham Residential has become the latest voice to call for the government to build affordable homes for Kiwi families to buy, says Labour’s housing spokesperson Phil Twyford. “Helen O'Sullivan of Ockham has now joined prominent businesspeople like EMA ...

The death of Fidel Castro is a huge historical moment for the older generation who grew up with the toppling of Batista, the Bay of Pigs debacle, the death of Che Guevara and the US blockade against Cuba. For younger ...

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has more than halved the number of fisheries observers in the East Coast North Island snapper trawl fishery (SNA1). This reduction in observer days, combined with major failures in an unproven and controversial video ...

TheMāori Land Court, hailed as an “exemplar” by the Ministry of Justice chief executive and Secretary, Andrew Bridgman is under siege by the Government through Māori land reforms and a Ministry restructure, says Labour’s Ikaroa-Rāwhiti MP Meka Whaitiri. ...

When approximately 60 per cent of children in state care are Māori processes need to change in favour of whānau, hapū and iwi solutions, said Labour’s Whānau Ora spokesperson Nanaia Mahuta. “Widespread concern about Government reforms of Child Youth and ...

The statistics for hip and knee electives under this Government make depressing reading, says Labour’s Health spokesperson Annette King. “Under the last Labour Government we achieved a 91 per cent growth in hip and knee elective surgery. Sadly under this ...

No amount of spin from Hekia Parata can hide the fact that per-child funding for early childhood education has been steadily decreasing under the National government, Labour’s Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says. “In the 2009/10 year early childhood services received ...

35% of New Zealanders now live in places where the average house costs over a million dollars, and it’s killing the Kiwi dream of owning your own place, says Labour’s housing spokesperson Phil Twyford. Latest QV stats show that Queenstown ...

The First Reading in Parliament today of his Our Work, Our Future Bill is a chance for political parties to ensure the government buys Kiwi-made more often and backs Kiwi jobs, says Leader of the Opposition Andrew Little. The reading ...

Solid Energy is showing no moral spine and should not have any legal right to block re-entry into the Pike River drift, says Damien O’Connor MP for West Coast-Tasman. “Todays failed meeting with representatives from the state owned company is ...

A briefing to the Minister of Education reveals 20,000 at-risk students can’t be found, undermining claims by Hekia Parata that a new funding model would ensure additional funding reached students identified as at-risk, says Labour’s Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins. ...

The Treasury has wasted $10 million in two years on the National Government's flawed state house sell off programme, including nearly $5.5 million on consultants, says Labour Finance spokesperson Grant Robertson. "New Zealand needs more state housing than ever, with ...

Yesterday, the Minister for Trade misused economic data in order to try to make the case for more so-called ‘trade agreements’ like the TPPA which are actually deregulatory straitjackets in disguise. In welcoming a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade ...

Wages have plummeted for people with skilled migrant visas working in low-skilled occupations, driving down wages for workers in a number of industries, says Labour’s Immigration Spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway. “Documents acquired by Labour under the Official Information Act reveal that ...

The Government's failure to act on recommendations from Judge Henwood, based on years of work by the Confidential Listening and Assistance Service (CLAS) will further undermine any faith victims may have put into the process, says Labour’s Children’s Spokesperson Jacinda ...

National’s failure to deal with the housing crisis in New Zealand is once again being exposed by the Reserve Bank today, in a scathing assessment of the Government’s response, says Labour Finance spokesperson Grant Robertson “Governor Wheeler is clearly worried ...

On Friday, the Minister for Food Safety, along with her Australian colleagues finally looked at the issue of mandatory labelling of palm oil. We’ve been calling for mandatory labelling for years and we were hoping that the Ministers would agree ...

The ineffectiveness of the National Government’s approach to schooling has been highlighted by the latest Trends in International Maths and Science Study (TIMSS) report released overnight, Labour’s Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says. ...

This week Parliament will select another members’ bill from the cookie tin (I kid you not, it really is a cookie tin) and I’ve just launched a new bill I’m hoping will get pulled – to help people get into ...

I want to end homelessness and ensure that everyone has a warm, safe, dry home. This National Government has let down New Zealanders, especially the thousands of New Zealanders who are struggling with something so basic and important as housing. ...

Kiwis affected by earthquakes might not get a fair deal if the Government pushes ahead with secret plans to let private insurers take over the assessment of claims, says Labour’s Canterbury spokesperson Megan Woods. “Under questioning from Labour the Government ...

The Prime Minister’s fixation with tax cuts, despite a failure to pay down any debt and growing pressure on public services is the real ‘load of nonsense’, says Labour Finance spokesperson Grant Robertson. “We’re getting mixed messages from National. John ...

Last week we were very concerned to hear that an Auckland imam, Dr Anwar Sahib, had been preaching divisive and derogatory messages about Jewish people and women during his sermons. It was a disturbing incident coming at the end of ...

Today the Greens have unveiled a comprehensive set of initiatives around the politically fraught policy area of drug law and reform, showing Moral courage on the issue of Medical Cannabis that has been lacking in parliament. ...

Friday 9 December marks International Anti-Corruption Day. This was established after the passage of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption in October 2003 and came into being because of the UN's concerns over the huge dangers corruption poses ...

The Taxpayers’ Union is calling out those who are pushing for the implementation of a sugary drink tax as a ‘post-truth virtue signalling’ citing evidence that many of the claims being made about sugar taxes are demonstrably wrong. ...

“The current Government’s priorities for next year’s Budget say nothing about improving public services, yet deteriorating public services hurt working people as much as a pay cut,” says CTU Economist, Bill Rosenberg. ...

Corrections releases COTA reports To be attributed to Chief Custodial Officer Neil Beales: The United Nations Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture establishes an international inspection system for places of detention. The Ombudsmen has responsibility ...

I have today apologised to Mr Derek Leask and Mr Nigel Fyfe for issues identified by the Ombudsman relating to the Investigation into the Possible Unauthorised Disclosure of Information Relating to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and ...

I need to be clear that while the Ombudsman identified issues with fairness and process in the investigation and release of the final report, these concerns relate to one section of a wider report. ...

The union representing more than 900 ambulance officers says its members are pleased that St John has announced to staff it will begin interpreting the meal break provision differently, but they’re renewing their calls for more staff to help relieve ...

State Housing Action Network 7 December 2016 Media release: Overseas investors not welcome to buy Christchurch state houses The news that Housing New Zealand is holding an “invite-only” seminar in Sydney next week for potential buyers of state houses ...

The importance of good risk assessment and monitoring of offenders carrying out community work has been highlighted in today’s sentencing of the Corrections Department under the Health and Safety in Employment Act. ...

The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi supports the decision by the Māori Women’s Welfare League to take a Treaty of Waitangi claim calling for a halt to the reforms to Child Youth and Family and shares the ...

Former New Zealand High Commissioner in London Derek Leask welcomes the formal decision by the State Services Commission (SSC) to accept the Ombudsman’s findings and recommendations on the SSC’s flawed 2012-13 Inquiry into the leaking of MFAT papers. ...

The new Board for Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) has been elected. The Board supersedes the Rural Women New Zealand National Council under new Rules and Bylaws ratified by the RWNZ membership at National Conference in 2015. ...

The Autistic Collective wholly supports the recent decision of the government to ban the practise of seclusion in schools. We also agree with statements made by Altogether Autism and the Human Rights Commission on the practise. ...

The New Zealand Government's proposal to take away legal responsibility for water fluoridation from local councils and give it to the District Health Boards could prove to be an exercise in futility. ...

Chief District Court Judge Jan Marie Doogue has entered a conviction against the Ministry of Social Development on a charge of failing to take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of its employees. Judge Doogue declined an MSD application ...

The Public Service is working through the implications of the judgement and sentence in the prosecution of the Ministry of Social Development by WorkSafe New Zealand following the shootings in the Ashburton Work and Income Office in 2014. ...

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nzBy Margareth S. Aritonang in Jakarta After two years of running the country, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has still not fulfilled his campaign promise to address long-unresolved human rights abuse cases in Indonesia, a promise that ...

Report by Pacific Media CentreOn International Anti-Corruption Day today, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is highlighting the important role that journalists play in exposing scandals, sometimes at the highest government level, and the grave dangers to which this exposes them. ...

When does heavy social media use become a problem? In-house therapist Ms X discusses good and bad Facebook usage, and strategies for breaking the network’s vice-like hold on your day-to-day life. This week I talk to a reader who ...

The Spinoff and Spark proudly present Pod On The Couch, a weekly podcast exploring music and the people that make it. This episode: Kate Robertson and Duncan Greive join host Henry Oliver to talk about music business and culture in the ...

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nzBy Dr Alexandra Wake in Melbourne As a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Kirakira in the Solomon Islands early today, triggering a tsunami warning across the Pacific, many residents of the country would have ...

We are always comparing ourselves to other parents, but comparing yourself to animals probably isn’t always a good idea. Thom Adams explains why. Mother hens, tiger mums, pangolin dads… as parents, we do have a habit of comparing ourselves with ...

Every Friday, ‘The Album Cycle’ reviews a handful of new releases.ALBUM OF THE WEEKChildish Gambino – Awaken, My LoveGive it a first listen and you’d be forgiven for thinking Awaken, My Love! wasn’t a Childish Gambino record ...

Tara Ward does the unthinkable, and binge-watches 22 episodes of guinea pig dates on TVNZ Ondemand. It’s not often you enjoy a guinea pig’s quest for true love. Hardly ever, in fact. So when the televisual universe vomits up a ...

Henry Oliver tries to go deep with Los Angeles rapper Vince Staples, fails, and asks him about basketball and cartoons instead.Vince Staples is young, very skilled and very, very chill. He raps fast, but talks slow. His records are ...

As the country counts down to the Joseph Parker vs Andy Ruiz WBO world heavyweight championship fight, The Spinoff presents FIGHT WEEK, an inside look at the life and career of Joseph Parker. Today we’re republishing ‘Inside Team Parker’, the ...

With summer upon us, there is no better time to shut all the sunlight out of your room, pull a blanket over your head and watch TV until your eyes hurt. We assemble the best shows on Lightbox that you ...

Superstar of breakfast radio, All Black captain and owner of a world-class duck face, John Key is one hell of a hard act to follow. But is the PM-designate really that boring? Toby Manhire crushes forever the Dull Bill English ...

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nzPacific countries on tsunami alert following a 7.8 magnitude earthquake off Solomon Islands. Image: USGS A tsunami warning has been issued for several Pacific countries – including Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu ...

He wants to be a tax-raising and lowering, eat-the-rich Trump-but-not-like-that of the political centre. Duncan Greive heads to Parnell for the Gareth Morgan party’s very odd first policy launch. “Make New Zealand fair again,” says Gareth Morgan, more than once ...

New verse by Dunedin writer Emma Neale.Tag From the tangle of trees by the Warrender Street steps near where city council crews have been deleting the fuck-cunts and dick pics sprayed on the path, sharper than the ...

‘Business is Boring’ is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand, with the interview available as both audio and ...

John Key was first elected Prime Minister in 2008. What was New Zealand like when the era of radio banter, ponytail pulling, and bad singing was just beginning? Having trouble viewing the quiz? Take it here. ...

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nzFear and Desperation: Refugees and Migrants Pour into Greece. Prizewinning footage shot in October 2015 – March 2016, Greece. Video: Rory Peck Awards Will Vassilopoulos, an Agence France-Presse (AFP) stringer since 2011, has won the Rory Peck ...

If we were able to speak to the people we were when we first became parents, what would we say? Kiri Speirs reaches back through the years to speak to the mum she was to her beloved daughter Zoe.Dear ...

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nzOPINION:By Peter S. Kinjap in Port Moresby Many current Papua New Guinean parliamentarians are highly respected individuals in their own areas – successful in business, education or public service. With such backgrounds, they routinely attract great ...

Novelist Graeme Lay bids a belated farewell to Auckland’s least glamorous but most useful shopping centre. It was one of the ugliest buildings in Auckland’s central business district, in a part of town where there was tough competition for that ...

The latest installment of Final Fantasy has been released from its cage into the arms of millions of fans. Resident Fantas-ites(?) Eugenia Woo and Matthew Codd settled around the old Skype and discussed what worked, what didn’t and why the ...